Eczema - Skin Disorder

Eczema is an allergic, inflammatory and irritating skin infection. It can be caused by wrist watches and strap, zinc coated jeans, perfumes and scents, hair dyes, fur, hair of pet animals, certain colors, synthetic clothes, dust, mould spores, certain plants, flowers, vegetables, bright sunlight or extremely cold winds. Holistic approach is called for to look for other allergens and disease-related causes. Some allergens and hypersensitivity is quite well known to many patients who can stay free from eczema. Certain insecticides, pesticides, fumes, gases can also be trigger points.

The disease gets chronic, either there is oozing from the scratched site or else it is simply a raised, inflamed and itching condition, but intense itching is a common symptom. Allergic eczema is more difficult to educe, as the there could be specific objects that are capable to cause onset of this disorder. Eczema spreading by contact is a common form of the malady. Those working in gas, chemical, drug manufacturing units are the general victims. The disease is liable to spread by contact with an infected person object.

Ayurvedic Remedies

Oils of Lemon Balm, Geranium, Chamomile or lavender can be used in 1 % or still lower concentration by mixing with acqeous cream, thicker cream, vegetable oil or ointment. It is prudent to watch reaction on the skin of all these herbal oils, by testing them on your skin one-by-one. Oil compresses are useful when the involved area is large. Drop 5 drops to 1 / 2 litre water and then use.

To hasten healing and reduce inflammation, use Marigold or Comfrey. Prepare a cream or ointment from either of the said herbal oils and apply locally.

Chickweed (stellaria Media) is of unquestioned value to calm itching which is a common feature of eczema. You can use it in the form or cream/ointment, or prepare an infusion and then use as a cold compress, which will suit more when the eczema is dry.

For moist or weeping eczema, apply, in neat or cream form, Red clover or Hearteas. Oil (diluted in some vegetable oil) of Evening Primrose will give soothing and healing relief, if applied locally.

Nettle and Red clover possess quality of blood-cleaning, and should be used in the form of infusions.

Decoctions of yellow Dock or Burdock can also be used for the said purpose. Dandalion root is extolled as toner of liver. It also gently clears the bowels but should be used as a decoction.

Cleavers (Galium Aparme) is also famous for removing toxins through kidneys, but should be used as an infusion. You can mix up both the herbs and prepare a mixture but must not be used beyond three weeks.

Take pound root of kasaundi and reduce to fine powder form, mix the same in kanji and then apply the paste over affected area. It will deal with Eczema effectively.

Precaution

Precaution is better than cure therefore avoid scratching with your nails or any object like brush, if pruritis is unbearable. Keep the surface free from dust, heat, known allergens, and known eatables. Do not use any soap, detergents or oil which precipitates the disease.

Dysentery

Ayurvedic Name: Raktatisar, Pravahika

Alternative Name: Bloody Flux

What is a dysentery ?

Dysentery is an infection of the intestine (gut) caused by an amoeba called Entamoeba histolytica. Dysentary is caused by ingestion of food containing this amoeba, causing a disease in which inflammation of the intestines affect the body significantly. It is associated with colicky pain in the abdomen, and liquid or semi-solid stools mixed with mucus and blood. If you have dysentery for long periods of time, it may very distressing and you may feel very weak and tired.

Dysentery is a condition characterised by inflammation of the bowels. The inflammation results in severe stomach pains. Dysentery also involves severe diarrhea that is often associated with bood in the feces. Diarrhea can be fatal too if the body dehydrates completely.

Dysentery is a disease involving the inflammation of the lining of the large intestines. The inflammation causes stomach pains and diarrhoea. Some cases involve vomiting and fever. The bacteria enters the body through the mouth in food or water, and also by human feaces and contact with infected people. The diarrhoea causes people suffering from dysentery to lose important salts and fluids from the body. This can be fatal if the body dehydrates.

What are the symptoms of dysentery ?

Symptoms of dysentery include inflammation of the intestine characterized by the frequent passage of feces, usually with blood and mucus.

There ar two types of dysentery.

1) Bacterial Dysentery - Shigellosis , which is caused by one of several type of Shigella bacteria - In this the stool comes mixed with blood.

2) Amoebic Dysentery - In this mucus may present in the stools, along with the organism.

Some of the main symptoms of dysentery are listed below:

The main symptom of dysentery is a bloody diarrhea.

Abdominal Cramps.
Fever.
Rectal pain.
Restricted bowel movements.
Frequent watery motions.
Loss of appetite.
Nausea.
Vomiting.
Stomach pains.

What are the causes of dysentery?

The two most common causes of dysentery are infection with bacteria of the Shigella group, and infection by an ameba called Entamoeba histolytica. They are primarily diseases of the tropics, but may occur in any climate.
Some other causes of dysentery are:
Digestive bacterial infection.
Digestive viral infection.
Scurvy.
Bowel ulceration.

How is dysentery Spread?

Amoebic dysentery is passed on by carelessness of people and negligible hygiene. The Entamoeba histolytica amoeba and the shigella bacteria often thrive in food and water contaminated by human feces. As these parasites live in the large intestine, they travel in the feces of infected people, and a number of times bacillary dysentery has occurred as the feces contaminate the water supplies where sanitation is poor, or where sewage mixes with drinking water.

What are the treatment of dysentery ?

The person suffering from bloody diarrhea (dysentery) needs immediate medical help. Treatment often starts with an oral rehydrating solution - water mixed with salt and carbohydrates, drinking this solution will help you in preventing dehydration (which may be fatal if it occurs).

Some Herbal Remedies for treatment of dysentery are:

Piyushvalli Ras - You may take one-two tablets of Piyushvalli Ras with roasted bael fruit and jaggery, two times daily.

Kadukkai Thole - Take two grams of powdered kadukkai thole (Rind of the Terminalia Chebula) with honey.

Kutajaghana Vati - One or two tablets of Kutajaghana Vati, when taken 2-3 times daily with water, is useful in treatment of dysentery.

Bael Fruit - Bael Fruit is also very good for dysentery. It is used when nothing works, the most useful and effective remedy which has been tried by many and proved successful too.

Sheng Jiang and Brown Sugar - Preparations made from sheng jiang and brown sugar are useful in treating dysentery.

Dried Mango Fruit - One teaspoonful of dried mango fruit when taken with butter milk two times a day acts as a good curative for dysentery.

Pudin Hara - Add a few drops of Pudin Hara or Amritdhara (mint essence or peppermint) to half a cup of water and drink it 3-4 times daily.

Aloe Vera & Rosehip - Aloe Vera and Rosehip are also good for tissue repairing after dysentery.

Rasaparpati - 150 gms of Rasaparpati may also be given to the person suffering from dysentery, three times daily.

Pomegranate Seeds and Rasins - Make a paste of - dry pomegranate seeds (Anardana), Raisin (Kishmis) and a small amount of salt. This is a very effective herbal remedy for curing dysentery and has prooved to be successfully many a times.
A tea of star grass leaves is also good for dysentery.

Mangoosthan Fuit - One Mangoosthan (Mangostain) fruit can be taken twice a day as a good remedy for dysentery.

Garlic - Garlic is also useful as a herbal remedy for curing dysentery. One garlic capsule taken three times daily is usually sufficient for curing mild cases of dysentery. However, upto 4 capsules can be taken daily in some severe cases.

Vetpalai Seeds - Take One teaspoon full of powder of Vetpalai seeds (Wrightiatinctoria) with honey two times a day.

Some other good herbs for dysentery may include - Bach Flowers, Impatiens, Chestnut Bud and Crab Apple. These herbs will most probably recover your from this parasite attack when taken daily for 6 weeks.

Some Home Remedies for Curing Dysentery Fast

In case of dysentery, some of the home remedies are:

Lemon Juice - Lemon juice is good for treating ordinary type of dysentery. A few lemons, peeled and sliced were added to 250 ml of water and the mixture was boiled for a few minutes. Now after that the mixture can be drunk atleast 3 times daily.

Mint and Ginger Juice - You can also drink a mixture of 1 tsp mint juice, 1/2 tsp ginger juice, and 1 tsp honey.

Onion - Small pieces of onions mixed with curd can be given to the suffering person upto six
times daily.

Basil Leaves - Take 5-6 basil (tulsi) leaves (chopped), 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, some black pepper in 3 table spoon of curd, and mix them properly. Now eat this mixture atleast 4 times daily for one week.

Nut Grass - Take some tubercles of nut grass and then powder them properly and mix in them fresh ginger juice and honey. This mixture can be taken in parts of 20 gm, three times in a day.

Papaya - Grate one raw papaya. Add 3 cups of water into it and boil it for near about 10 mins. Now strain the mixture and finish the water in one day.

Dengue Fever

Ayurvedic Name: Dandak Jwara

Other Names: Dandy fever, Three-day fever, Breakbone fever.

What's is a Dengue Fever?

Dengue fever is a disease caused by one of a number of viruses. These viruses are spread by the bite of mosquitoes and are transmitted to the human body. The disease is very common in tropical and subtropical areas of the world (including some islands in the Caribbean, Mexico, most countries of South and Central America, the Pacific, Asia and parts of tropical Africa). In these locations, the dengue fever arbovirus is endemic, meaning that the dengue fever virus naturally and consistently lives in that location and the virus are not carried by mosquitoes.

Who gets Dengue Fever?

Dengue fever can occur to people of all ages. Children usually have a milder disease than adults.

What's are the causes of Dengue Fever ?

When a mosquito carrying dengue fever virus bites a healthy human, the virus travels in the blood stream and then starts multiplying itself in the whole body. Dengue fever is not contagious, which means one person cannot pass it directly to another.

Dengue fever is also a type of arbovirus, which is short for arthropod-borne virus. The main virus causing dengue fever is carried by a mosquito named "Aedes aegypti" which transmits the virus to humans through its bite. An organism that carries a disease, without actually developing the disease itself, is called a vector. Aedes aegypti works as a vector for transmitting the disease.

An another cause for dengue fever is a virus name flaviviruses. More than 100 million cases of dengue fever occur every year in a whole world. A little bit percent of these develop into dengue hemorrhagic fever. It is possible for a traveler who has returned to the United States to pass the infection to someone who has not traveled. Risk factors for dengue hemorrhagic fever include having antibodies to dengue virus from prior infection and being younger than 12, female, or Caucasian.

What's are the symptoms of Dengue Fever?

The symptoms of dengue fever are generally seen in around three days after transition of virus to humans through mosquitoes bite and after that patient starts feeling very weak. Dengue fever, however, is not a fatal disease.

Dengue fever may vary on an individual basis for each patient. One should always remember before looking for treatment that over-medication in dengue fever is likely to lead to further complications and some times it may also turn slight serious. A mild attack of the fever may pass off without having to administer any medicine.

Some of the main symptoms of dengue fever are listed below:

Dengue fever usually starts suddenly with a rapidly climbing high fever, that's why the temperature in dengue fever is called a 'saddleback' type temperature.
severe headaches.
Retro-orbital pain behind the eye.
nausea & vomiting.
loss of appetite.
Rashes develop on the feet or legs 3 to 4 days after the beginning of the fever.
Swelling and pain in muscles and joints.
The joint pain in the body has given dengue fever the name that is "breakbone fever".The common symptoms of dengue fever may go in around 10 days, but complete recovery from dengue fever can take more than a month.

Herbal Treatments for Dengue Fever

There is no specific treatment for the treatment of classical dengue fever, and like most people you will also recover completely within 2 weeks. For severe dengue symptoms, including shock and coma, early and aggressive emergency treatment with fluid and electrolyte replacement can be lifesaving.

Some treatment options that may enhance the curing of classical dengue fever are listed:

1) Mix 360 mg of Shunthi Churna with 125 mg of Hinguleshwar and now take this mixture at least 4 times daily, you may take with tea or hot water. If case the temperature of the patient rises beyond 104°F (40°C), then you may apply cold pad, on the forehead till the temperature subsides.

2) Another ayurvedic medicine used for treatment of dengue fever is tulsi (holy basil). Medicinal properties of tulsi are very useful in ayurvedic therapy. The leaves of tulsi are used to produce soothing effect on the nervous system. Tulsi leaves strengthen the stomach and induce copious perspiration.

Cough

What is a cough?

Cough is also called kala-raga and tussis. It is a noisy expulsion of air from the lungs.Cough is a highly contagious disease of the respiratory system.Cough mainly affects children and it is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis .It is also called pertussis.Cough is simply a symptom and not a disease.

The main type of cough are given below:

Spasmodic cough
Laryngeal and Pharyngeal Cough
Nervous Cough.
Allergic Cough
Dry cough
Food induced Cough
Cough of drunkards, smokers and drug addicts
Asthmatic Cough
Senile Cough
Tubercular Cough
Kapha, Vata, Pitta induced Cough

What are the symptoms of cough ?

Running nose
Sneezing
Mild cough
Low-grade fever
Cough(Kasa Raga) is sub-divided into five heads:
Disorders borne out of vata
Pitta
Kapha
Ill
Injuries or infections.

The first three types are easily handled, but the latter two categories are a different proposition altogether.

Coughs may usually classify as being either dry or chesty.

A dry cough - Dry coughs are usually felt in the throat as a tickle, which sets off the coughing.It may occurs because the throat and upper airways becomes inflamed, it is non-productive. After about 1 to 2 weeks, the dry, irritating cough evolves into coughing spells.

A chesty cough- may either productive due to extra mucus produced as a response to infection or non-productive due to infection causing the lung passageways to swell.

What are the causes of cough ?

Congestive heart failure
Disorders of the upper airways
Disorders of the pericardium
Bronchogenic carcinoma
Interstitial lung disease
Chronic pulmonary infection
Cystic fibrosis
Interstitial lung disease
Psychogenic disorders
Bird flu in humans
Childhood asthma can lead to cough
Headache

Causes of cough may long and highly vary. You may also classify coughs into 2 categories, they are given below

Acute - an acute cough as one that been present for less than 3 weeks.

Chronic - chronic coughs are those present for more than 3 weeks. This may cause by breathing in dust particles in the air or when a piece of food goes down the wrong way.

Home Remedies For Cough

200 mg of Panchamrita Ras with 2 1/2 gm of Chuma of Bahera (vidang) may take three times with honey.

120 gm of Chaturashana Churna mix with 120 gm of Eladi may take two times in a day.
Prepare a linctus prepared from Harad, long pepper, ginger, nut grass (Nagar musta) - all in powder form and mixed with honey may licke three to four times daily

Prepare a paste from dates, raisins, black pepper, vidanga and long pepper and mixed with equal quantity of honey may take three to four times in a day.

Eladi Churna or Chaturasana Churna or Yavani Shadava each one (not all) may take according the symptoms noted.

Constipation - Herbal and Home Remedies

What is a Constipation ?

Constipation means different things to different people. For some people, it simply means infrequent stools, while on the other hand for others, constipation means hard stools. The cause of each of these "types" of constipation probably is different.

Constipation, a condition of the digestive system where a person (or animal) experiences hard feces that are difficult to eliminate ; it may be very painful. Almost everyone gets constipated. In most cases, it lasts for a short time and is not serious, but sometimes in some severe cases it leads to symptoms of bowel obstruction.

Symptoms of Constipation ?

Symptoms of constipation vary from person to person. Some people just experience a spot of difficulty, having the stool very hard and have to 'strain' on the toilet, while others may have physical discomfort, particularly:
1) Bloated stomach.
2) Stomach pains/stomach cramps.

The main symptom of constipation is the urge to void the stools but the inability to do so. Constipation continuing over a long period may lead to distension of the stomach and severe discomfort. If you feel constipation continues for some time, it may lead to a feeling of like:
Heaviness in the abdomen
Headaches
Lethargy
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Weight loss
Feeling uncomfortable

What are the Causes of a Constipation ?

Some of the main causes of a constipation are:
Eating food grain cereals which have no bran or roughage.
Frequent eating of foods like fish, meats, spices, condiments.
Dehydration.
Sparse use of leafy and green vegetables, like mustard, spinach, salads etc.
Lack or absence of milk, ghee, milk cream, curd, whey and butter from diet.
Use of liquors like wines, whiskies, tobacco.
Lack of water in the body.
Lack of exercise.
Tension in the muscles of the colon, rectum an anus.
Eating too much of concentrated protein.

Herbal Treatment for Constipation

Some of the herbal treatment options available are:

1) Mix 4 gm's of Senna leaves, 3 gm's of pulp of Amaltas, 5 gm's of rose buds and 5 gm's of harad. Now you may take this mixture with milk, at night. Don't take it with water.

2) One - two teaspoons of castor oil taken daily with hot milk at night is beneficial in curing constipation.

3) One - two teaspoons of Isabgole Husk taken with hot milk is also good for constipation.

4) You may also take medicines like - Swadishta Virechan, Lasuna Kshira, and Avipittakar Churna.

Some Home Remedies for Constipation

1) You may take sufficient amount of liquids - water, milk, and other liquids ­ so as to reduce the dryness of the intestines, which will help in curing constipation fast.

2) Take a small amount of Harad. Now fry it in desi ghee (Pure) or castrol oil. Now break it into powder form and you may take this powder daily.

Common Cold - Herbal and Home Remedies

Ayurvedic Name: Pratishyaya

What is a common cold ?

A common cold is a pattern of illness that can be caused by a variety of different viruses. Out of the 200 viruses causing common cold, rhinoviruses (nose viruses) are the the most common. Common Cold is relatively harmless disease. It can occur at any time throughout the year but the most common are in late winter and fall. They are most common in children and an average child has about six colds per year.

Common cold acts as a gateway to many other respiratory problems. It’s called the “common cold” because you may feel more cold in this than any other type of illness. If it is neglected, and not taken care right from the beginning of its cause, then it may lead to complications of serious nature. Common cold is also called coryza, because it is running from nose, catarrh.

What are the causes of common cold ?

Common Colds are usually caused by rhinoviruses. The common cold is transmitted from one person to another through contact, mainly when an infected person touches the eyes, mouth, or inside of the nose and spreads the virus through the hands. Other common modes of transmission of virus may include kissing and sharing utensils with an infected person.

Other common virures responsible for causing of common cold are:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenoviruses, enteroviruses, and a host of others can produce colds.

Here is a misconception about common cold in many people's mind. They think that going out in cold whether causes cold. Let me clear it out - going out in cold weather or rain do not cause a cold or going outside while your hair's wet do not cause colds, colds are mainly caused from airborne particles expelled when someone with a cold coughs or sneezes.

What are the symptoms of common cold ?

Approximately 95% people exposed to a cold virus become infected, although out of them 75% show symptoms. The symptoms start within two days after infection.
Generally a cold starts with a sore throat, after that the symptoms are a result of the body's defense mechanisms like: sneezes, runny nose, and coughs to expel the invader, and inflammation to attract and activate immune cells.

Due to more than 200 viruses causing common cold, its symptoms tend to vary a lot. Some of the common symptoms are listed below:

Runny Nose.
Sore throat.
Sneezing.
Blocked nose.
Scratchy throat.
Fatigue.
Muscle Aches.
Loss of Appetite.
Cough.
Headache.
Mild fever.
Mild chills.
Sinus swelling.
Sometimes high fever too.

Ayurveda has recognized five types of cold, as given below:

1) borne out of vata.
2) borne out of the vitiation of pitta.
3) borne out of kapha.
4) borne out of disorders of the blood.
5) chronic cold borne out of the three doshas.

Herbal and Ayurvedic Treatment for Common Cold

Some common ayurvedic medicines & prescriptions for treatment of common cold are:

120 gm of Laxmivilas Churna and 120 gm of Shring Bhasma mixed with 240 mg of Narsar may be taken three times in a day with warm water.

You may also suck Vyoshadi Vati as a lozenge three to four times daily to get well from common cold fast.

120 mg of Mahalaxmi Vilas can be taken with powder of mulethi, honey and ghee.

10 gm of Chitrak Hiratiki may take in the morning and last thing at night with one cup of warm cow's milk.

3 gm of Vyoshadya Churna can also be taken two times daily with warm water after the main meals.

Take 50 gm of Madhuyasthyadi Quath three times daily to get well soon.

Chicken Pox

Ayurvedic Name: Laghu Masurika

Medical Name : Varicella

What is the Chicken Pox?

Chicken Pox is the commonly known name for varicella disease. Chickenpox is an acute contagious disease. Chicken Pox is very common in children mainly of age group between 1 to 10 years. Often it is mistaken for measles due to its apparent. It is a viral disease. You may identify the disease with fever. The virus even after the cure of disease remains hidden in the body and can later again cause disease such as shingles.

What are the causes of chicken Pox ?

Chicken Pox may caused by at least two factors:
1) Contact irritation,
2) Local skin infection due to overgrowth of various bacteria.

Chickenpox is mainly caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It is also known as human herpes virus 3. Causes of chickenpox usually not apparent but may be associated with hunger, swallowed air, overfeeding, and foods with high carbohydrate content.

Other Causes of chickenpox, may include:

You may have a Sensitive skin.
You may have used a Strong soap or taken a long bubble bath.
Long Illnesses.
Changes in diet such as weaning or changing from breast milk to formula.

What are the symptoms of chicken Pox?

Chicken pox mainly starts with slight feverishness and pain in the back and legs. Within 24 hours of its onset small red papules appear on the back and chest and sometimes on the forehead too. After that pimples turn into vesicles but within a day or two, these vesicles dry up with a brown crust appearing on them. You may see eruptions also after some days.

The symptoms which usually occur before 24 to 48 of appearing of spots on the body, are given below:

The person has runny nose/stuffy nose.
Slight cough is accounted.
Decrease in Appetite
Sometimes severe headache also starts.
The person may feel very tired.
Vomiting

The following symptoms may occur after 10 to 21 days of appearing of chicken pox. They may appear in the following order:

Mild low grade fever with cold-like symptoms.
Rash, mostly on trunk or covered areas of the body.
Fluid-filled blisters.
Crusts.

Chicken pox is so common disease that already 80% of adults have already have it. It is still more common in children. Nowadays a new vaccine has been discovered for the treatment of chicken pox and which I think will be made mandatory at some time in the near future.

What are the treatments of chicken Pox ?

Available Medicines & Prescriptions of chickenpox are given below :

1) Swarnamakshika Bhasma - 120 mg of Swarnamaksnika Bhasma to he taken morning and evening with decoction of Kanchnar tree bark.
2) Eladyarishta - 20 ml of Eladyarishta to he taken after meals with water.
3) During the 2nd week, you may take 125mg of Indukala vati with water in the morning and evening.

What are the home remedies of chicken Pox ?

Haridra powder one grain may be given with juice of Karela leaves, two times in a day mainly at noon and in the evening.